Adding your policies and risk assessment

Parents and inspectors will ask to see your policies and your risk assessments. KinderStart gives you templates to start from, so you're not writing from a blank page.

1. Choose a policy template

Open the Tools tab and choose Policy Documents. Tap Get Started (or, once you have policies, tap + and Use Template).

There are templates for each policy you'll need, including:

• Safeguarding Policy: how you respond to a concern, allegations, the Prevent Duty, online safety and photos.
• Complaints Policy: how parents raise a concern and how quickly you respond.
• Missing Child Policy: prevention, and what you do if a child goes missing.
• Uncollected Child Policy: what happens if a child isn't collected on time.

2. Make it yours

Tap a template. The Policy Content is filled in for you. Read it through, fill in any blanks (marked with underscores) and change anything that doesn't match how you work. You can tap Polish with AI to tidy the wording, and switch on Requires Parent Signature if parents need to sign it.

3. Save it as a PDF

Tap Generate PDF. The policy is saved to your list, ready to share with parents. Repeat for each policy you need.

Already written a policy? Tap + and upload your PDF or Word document instead.

4. Check your home room by room

Go back to Tools and choose Risk Assessments. Open your safety audit, then tap a room, such as Kitchen.

Each room has a list of standard checks. Tap Confirm on each one once it's in place, and it's marked Safe. The audit shows how many areas are safe so far.

To write a different kind of assessment, such as for an outing or medicine, tap + on the Risk Assessments screen and choose the type. You can also upload an assessment you've already written.

What to do next

• Setting up your consent forms: the permissions every family is asked for.
• Tracking your childminder registration: tick off your policies on the road to registration.